Explosive perforator for use on underwater bodies and structures



1963 c. M. SAFFER, JR 3,109,373

EXPLOSIVE PERFORATOR FOR USE ON UNDERWATER BODIES AND STRUCTURES Filed May 25, 1961 INVENTOR (244/9455 47. XM -5e JR.

United States Patent 3,109,373 EXPLOSIVE PERFORATOR FOR USE ON UNDER- WATER BODES AND STRUCTURES Charles M. Safter, Jr., Levittown, Pa., assiguor to Thiokol Chemical Corporation, Bristol, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Filed May 25, 1961, Ser. No. 112,711 2 Claims. (Cl. 102-54) This invention relates to explosive perforating devices for use under water. The perforating device of the present invention is especially well adapted to be incorporated in the warhead of a self-propelled torpedo for use in attacks on surface and submarine vessels and will be illustratively described in connection with its use for this application. However, as the description proceeds, it will become apparent that the present device, as well as the method of perforating submarine objects as disclosed herein, can also be used for non-military purposes.

For many years the depth charge has been the standard attack weapon for use against submarines. However, with the improvements that have occurred in recent years in the power and mobility of submarines, and more particularly since the advent of the nuclear-powered submarine, the problem of detection and destruction of enemy submarines has become increasingly acute. As an incident of this change there has been a growing interest in the concept of the killer submarine, i.e., a submarine vessel especially designed to seek out and attack other submarines and provided with projectiles, e.g., torpedoes, equipped with homing and guidance systems and an explosive perforating device for effectively penetrating the hull of a submarine at considerable depths below the surface. It is evident that such torpedoes should not only be capable of effectively performing their intended function, but should also be as compact and light in weight as possible.

It is known that the penetrating power of a given amount of a given type of explosive can be increased by forming the explosive into a shaped charge. Such shaped charges have been extensively used for a wide variety of purposes. However, when a shaped charge is used under water, its penetrating effectiveness is substantially diminished, particularly at considerable depths below the surface. Hence, as currently employed, such shaped charges are of only limited effectiveness for use as the destructive element of a submarine torpedo, since they must not only penetrate the water between the hull and the charge, but must also pass through certain metallic components commonly located in the nose section of the torpedo.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide an improved type of explosive perforating device for underwater use. It is another object of the invention to provide an explosive perforating device adapted to be incorporated in a self-propelled submarine torpedo or other underwater missile and capable of developing an explosive penetrating power greater than that heretofore achieved. It is still another object of the invention to provide an improved method of explosively perforating underwater structures. Other objects of the invention will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereafter.

The objects and advantages of the invention are achieved in general by providing an explosive perforating device which, to use the vernacular, is capable of delivering a 1-2 punc A primary and secondary charge are used with the second charge being a shaped charge. The primary charge is detonated to form a bubble or globule of hot gas between the hull of the vessel to be destroyed and the nose of the torpedo or other carrying vehicle. The explosion of this charge also removes the nose portion of the torpedo shell as well as any metallic d ld' fi ii Patented Nov. 5, 1963 ice components that may be located in the nose of the torpedo. After this gas bubble has been generated, the shaped charge is detonated to cause the jet formed by the charge to be directed through the gas bubble against the hull of the attacked vessel without impedance. Thus the explosive force of the shaped charge is projected directly against the metal surface to be penetrated without being subjected to the resistance of intervening water or of the metallic components of the torpedo nose, and more effective penetration of the hull is achieved.

The objects and advantages of the invention can best be appreciated and understood by reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a general side view of a torpedo, broken away to show, in diagrammatic form, an axial view of the present explosive perforating device;

FIGURE 2 is an external side view of the torpedo of FIGURE 1 showing more or less diagrammatically the development of a gas bubble after detonation of the primary charge in the torpedo; and,

FIGURE 3 is similar to FIGURE 2 but illustrates the manner in which the explosive force of the shaped charge passes through the preformed gas bubble and penetrates the hull of the vessel being attacked.

Referring to FIGURE 1 of the drawing, the torpedo there shown comprises an elongated generally cylindrical casing 10, the forward part of which is divided by a transverse bulkhead or partition 12 into a nose compartment 14 and control compartment 16. Within the nose compartment 14 there is formed a shaped charge 13 having a conical recess 2% confronting the nose end of the torpedo. The conical recess 20 is lined with the metal 22 to increase the efficiency of the shaped charge as well known in the art. A detonator-booster charge 24 is provided for detonating the shaped charge 18. The detonator charge is located adjacent to the bulkhead 12 and is aligned with and just aft of the apex of the conical recess 26. The proper location of detonator-booster 24 is related to the pitch of the conical cavity 20 and other dimensions of the shaped charge. These relationships are well known in the practical art of shaped charges and hence need not be discussed in detail herein. As indicated above, FIGURE 1 and the other figures in the drawing are intended to be diagrammatic representations in which the parts are not necessarily drawn to a precise scale.

As indicated above, detonation of the shaped charge is postponed until after a primary charge has been detonated. Still referring to FIGURE 1, the numeral 26 designates a primary charge located in the nose compartment 14- of the torpedo between the shaped charge 18 and the nose end of the torpedo. Primary charge 26 has a detonator 28 associated therewith. Also located within the nose compartment 14 there is a sensing mechanism 30 for sensing the proximity of the target to be destroyed. The details of this sensing device are conventional and hence its construction need not be described in detail. When the torpedo approaches the target, the device generates an electrical signal that is conducted through a conduit 32 to a control device 34. The control device 34 is likewise of conventional construction and operates to send successive electrical signals through the conduit 36 to detonator 28 and, after a predetermined time delay, through conduit 38 to detonator 24. The sequence of events that occurs as the primary and shaped charges are successively detonated is illustrated in FIG- URES 2 and 3 of the drawing.

Referring to FIGURE 2, the sensing device 30- and control device 34 cooperate to detonate the primary charge 26 when the nose of the torpedo is a few feet from the structure to be perforated, shown in FIGURES 2 and 3 as the hull 40 of a surface or submarine vessel. Upon detonation of the charge 26, the nose end of the torpedo casing is ruptured and hot gases issue forth to form a gas globule 42 between the torpedo and the hull 40. As the torpedo continues to move forward, the mass of gas 42 expands and assumes the shape illustrated in FIGURE 3. At this point the shaped charge is detonated and penetrates the hull 40 of the vessel being attacked. As illustrated in FIGURE 3, the explosive force of the shaped charge is projected through the gas bubble 42 and hence its penetrating power is not diminished by passage through a body of water or by obstruction from the metallic components of the nose compartment 14. It should be noted that the use of the primary charge 26 increases the eflectiveness of shaped charge 18 in a number of respects. It has been previously pointed out that the gases formed by explosion of charge 26 form a gas bubble or globule through which the shaped charge is exploded. In addition the explosion of charge 26 removes from the path of the jet resulting from the explosion of the shaped charge, the nose portion of the torpedo casing, the sensing device 30 and any other mechanical impediments that may be present in the nose compartment 18 which would ordinarily tend to deflect and impede the destructive jet. Hence when the shaped charge 18 is exploded, its explosive force is projected along a path that is free from both solid and liquid resistances other than the resistance of the hull to be perforated. It is thus evident that the present invention provides an exceptionally efiicient method and means for explosively perforating underwater objects.

It is of course to be understood that the foregoing description is illustrative only and that numerous modifications can be made in the specific structure described without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a self-propelled torpedo for use in perforating the hull of a marine or submarine vessel, a Warhead for said torpedo comprising in combination, a casing, a shaped explosive charge in said casing having a cavity confronting the nose end of said torpedo, a first detonator associated with said shaped charge, a second explosive charge and interposed between said shaped charge and the nose of said torpedo, a second detonator associated with said second charge and control means located within said casing and connected to said two detonators for detonating said second charge and shaped charge in a predetermined time sequence whereby said second charge is detonated to destroy the nose end of said torpedo and to form a submarine gas pocket in front of said torpedo and the explosive effect of said shaped charge is then directed through said gas pocket against the hull of said vessel, said casing also containing electrical sensing means located in said casing for sensing the proximity of the vessel whose hull is to be perforated and said control means responsive to said sensing means for setting off said two detonators at a distance from said hull.

2. In a self-propelled torpedo for use in perforating the hull of a marine or submarine vessel, a warhead for said torpedo comprising in combination, a casing, a transverse partition dividing said casing into a nose compartment and a control compartment, a shaped explosive charge in said nose compartment adjacent to said partition and having a cavity confronting the nose of said torpedo, a first detonator associated with said shaped charge, a second explosive charge located in said nose compartment and interposed between said shaped charge and the nose of said torpedo, a second detonator associated with said second charge, electrical sensing means located in said nose compartment for sensing the proximity of a vessel whose hull is to be perforated, control means connected to said two detonators, said control means responsive to said sensing means located in said control compartment and connected to said two detonators for detonating said second charge and shaped charge in a predetermined time sequence at a distance from said hu'll, whereby said second charge is detonated to destroy the nose end of said torpedo and to form a submarine gas pocket between said torpedo nose and the hull to be perforated and the explosive effect of said shaped charge is then directed through said gas pocket against the hull to be perforated.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,446,640 Da-vis Aug. 10, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,231,003 France Apr. 11, 1960 

1. IN A SELF-PROPELLED TORPEDO FOR USE IN PERFORATING THE HULL OF A MARINE OR SUBMARINE VESSEL, A WARHEAD FOR SAID TORPEDO COMPRISING IN COMBINATION, A CASING, A SHAPED EXPLOSIVE CHARGE IN SAID CASING HAVING A CAVITY CONFRONTING THE NOSE END OF SAID TORPEDO, A FIRST DETONATOR ASSOCIATED WITH SAID SHAPED CHARGE, A SECOND EXPLOSIVE CHARGE AND INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID SHAPED CHARGE AND THE NOSE OF SAID TORPEDO, A SECOND DETONATOR ASSOCIATED WITH SAID SECOND CHARGE AND CONTROL MEANS LOCATED WITHIN SAID CASING AND CONNECTED TO SAID TWO DETONATORS FOR DETONATING SAID SECOND CHARGE AND SHAPED CHARGE IN A PREDETERMINED TIME SEQUENCE WHEREBY SAID SECOND CHARGE IS DETONATED TO DESTROY THE NOSE END OF SAID TORPEDO AND TO FORM A SUBMARINE GAS POCKET IN FRONT OF SAID TORPEDO AND THE EXPLOSIVE EFFECT OF SAID SHAPED CHARGE IS THEN DIRECTED THROUGH SAID GAS POCKET AGAINST THE HULL OF SAID VESSEL, SAID CASING ALSO CONTAINING ELECTRICAL SENSING MEANS LOCATED IN SAID CASING FOR SENSING THE PROXIMITY OF THE VESSEL WHOSE HULL IS TO BE PERFORATED AND SAID CONTROL MEANS RESPONSIVE TO SAID SENSING MEANS FOR SETTING OFF SAID TWO DETONATORS AT A DISTANCE FROM SAID HULL. 